Surprised Stars have Pattinson in their eyes after speedy recovery

Big appeal … James Pattinson's return from injury quicker than expected has created an issue for his Big Bash League side. Photo: Getty Images

JAMES PATTINSON'S unexpectedly fast recovery from a rib injury could prompt a request for Cricket Australia to change its rules so he can make his comeback in the Big Bash League.

The 22-year-old injured his ribs midway through last month's Adelaide Test. After a break of just over three weeks the paceman resumed bowling on Monday, albeit at low intensity.

While CA estimated he would miss the rest of the summer's Tests, Pattinson is on track to be playing again in three to four weeks - at the earliest immediately after the SCG Test against Sri Lanka - with his bowling workload to be steadily increased in the meantime.

CA's appraisal of the severity of Pattinson's injury, which was similar to a side strain, prompted his BBL team, Melbourne Stars, to withdraw him from its squad and replace him with South Australia seamer Daniel Worrall. While the Stars have been impressed with Worrall, their chief executive Clint Cooper said he regretted replacing the firebrand seamer before the start of the tournament.

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''It's quite unfortunate. We made a decision based on the advice of the chief medical officer of Cricket Australia and replaced him, because they said it'd be six to eight weeks before he'd bowl again. He's surprised everyone with how he's recovered,'' Cooper said.

''If that advice was different - and in hindsight it's easy to make these calls - you wouldn't have subbed him out that early.''

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Pat Howard, Cricket Australia's general manager (team performance), said he had been speaking with Cooper about Pattinson.

''We know where James Pattinson and a few other guys are in terms of that sort of push and pull between BBL and longer-form cricket,'' Howard said.

''Closer to the time, absolutely, the medical staff of all teams will talk and nothing is confirmed or closed off.''

The mooted mid-January window for Pattinson's availability coincides with a crucial period for the Stars. They play their final home-and-away match on January 8 and, on current standings, are a good chance to quality for the semi-finals a week later before the final on January 19.

That period overlaps the start of the international limited-overs series, with Australia to play ODIs against Sri Lanka on January 11, 13 and 18 before the BBL concludes. At least a third of the Stars' squad of 18 are in contention for national selection, which could severely test their depth.

With CA likely to be reluctant to recall Pattinson in the opening ODIs, when he would be expected to bowl a full 10-over allocation, a softer prelude could come in the BBL, in which bowlers are limited to four overs.

BBL rules do not include provisions for withdrawn players to reclaim their places under any circumstances.

While Cooper stressed Pattinson was not guaranteed to be capable of returning for the tail end of the BBL, irrespective of eligibility, he said he would be petitioning CA to amend its rules for national-team players.

''If he's declared fit by the chief medical officer of Cricket Australia … and it's in the BBL window we'd look at our options and seek some sort of change to the rules,'' he said.

Cooper's contention would be based on the fact CA withdraws players from BBL duty for the benefit of the national team, such as Glenn Maxwell to play in a tour match against Sri Lanka.

Cooper believed Pattinson playing Twenty20 could be a worthwhile step in his return to ODIs.

''The rules aren't ideal,'' Cooper said. ''I'd like if we could all sit around a table at some stage and say, 'What's in the best interests of Australian cricket?' and can it work both ways with the BBL teams.''